What startled the Third Hokage wasn't just this—only once every few years would something truly blow his mind. And yet, once it happened, another shock would inevitably follow.
After one unforeseen event came another even more unexpected.
Aside from the Hokage and Danzo, none of the current Amegakure group noticed the assassins behind them—they were all facing away from the village.
But at this moment, Hanzo of the Rain Village, who stood beside their leader, suddenly spoke up, "No, Third Hokage. In fact, I have decided to accept your proposal for peace. However, as the defeated side, Amegakure currently has nothing valuable enough to offer in exchange for peace—
except… this."
Tanuki was about to scold the underling who had dared interrupt his conversation with the Hokage; after all, who else had the right to speak at such a critical moment? Especially when what Hanzo said went completely against the leader's will.
Yet before Tanuki could even turn around, he felt a sharp pain in his abdomen. A long blade had already pierced through him from behind.
Compared to the physical agony, what terrified Tanuki more was why his own subordinate would do such a thing—didn't we swear undying loyalty to each other?
Sorry, but the man behind him was also known simply as Hanzo.
Hanzo of the Rain Village, during the highest summit between Konoha and Amegakure, suddenly turned on and killed his own leader… such scenes were nothing new, almost eerily familiar.
Who was this Hanzo now? Not the original Hanzo—it was clearly Lady General Tachibana Hanzo of the Rain Village.
Tanuki didn't die instantly. At the same time, Hanzo of the Rain Village held the blade steady with one hand and pressed down on Tanuki's shoulder with the other. This grip rendered him helpless, unable to resist, left only to quietly await death.
Hanzo of the Rain Village had never voiced any disagreement with their leader before—not even once during countless battles where he always led bravely. But perhaps now he thought it was finally time to end the war—or maybe time to pursue his own ambition.
Without question, this assassination had been carefully planned. It was sudden, yet decisive. He had never breathed a word of his plan to anyone before now. Right now, the shock among the Amegakure ninja standing behind Hanzo far surpassed the horror seen on the faces of the Konoha shinobi.
"Lord Tanuki!?"
The guards behind Tanuki stood frozen in shock before realizing what had just happened. Just as they began rushing forward to save their leader and handle internal matters, their steps came to an abrupt halt.
Because the Konoha ninja behind the Third Hokage—all those with red eyes, white eyes, or wearing masks—had each taken a step forward the very moment they sensed hostile action from the Amegakure side.
In such diplomatic circumstances, how could the Amegakure ninja dare move recklessly? They weren't facing off as equals—they were completely outmatched by Konoha.
No one could say whether Hanzo of the Rain Village had picked the best or worst time to act.
Assassinating a village leader was no simple feat. In an age torn apart by war, every village leader was on high alert. If he hadn't stood face-to-face with The Third, Tanuki wouldn't have exposed such a critical weakness.
At this moment, the Amegakure ninja could only watch helplessly as their leader was assassinated before their very eyes.
Yet right now, there was someone whose situation was even more tragic than that of Tanuki… When an assassin, filled with determination to die, braved the poison zone and prepared himself for a final, fatal strike, the true tragedy wasn't failing and dying honorably—it was realizing his target had already died the moment he made his move.
"This great war has brought Amegakure to its limit. If we continue following our leader's stubborn resistance, this village will eventually destroy itself.
Though the weak among us—those from Amegakure—desire peace, after enduring endless wars, we can no longer offer the sincerity or bargaining chips necessary for peace talks. There's, however, one thing we can offer—the life of the leader who led this Great Ninja World War." Hanzo fixed his gaze upon The Third and spoke slowly.
"Tanuki's head… is barely worth something. You've made the right choice; ultimately, it would've only been a matter of time before Konoha ninjas claimed this trophy anyway.
The real issue is whether you can get a grip on things in Amegakure. If you cannot, then your promises of peace carry no weight at all. But if you succeed, then Konoha might just acknowledge you as Amegakure's new leader," Danzo Shimura's eyes flickered slightly, then added.
The Third Hokage didn't reprimand Danzo for butting in. He just gave him a quiet glance and wondered to himself if it might be wise to keep some distance from this man for now—figuratively getting stabbed in the back still felt like a punch to the gut.
Amegakure's fallen leader Tanuki's blood trickled steadily down the sharp edge of Hanzo's blade. Yet now, no one truly cared about this so-called "leader" anymore… No, more accurately, the former leader.
Strategically speaking, Konoha didn't necessarily need to conquer Amegakure. Actually, overall, keeping Amegakure intact held far more benefits than wiping it out.
In the space between major nations lie smaller ones; similarly, smaller ninja villages stand between the great ones. These are vital buffer zones. Without Amegakure, Konoha would be directly exposed to Iwagakure—an enemy much harsher than Amegakure ever was.
It would be perfect if they could use Amegakure as a buffer against Iwagakure.
The only problem remained—was this Amegakure ninja, who advocated for "peace," truly capable of stabilizing Amegakure's situation and becoming the new village leader?
Despite appearing ambitious, powerful, ruthless, and decisive—in short, possessing the qualities of a true warlord—the role of a village leader demanded far more than just these traits.
"If you'd made this call sooner, none of today's bloodshed would've happened. And if you truly seek peace... at the very least, return our ninja lost in your deadly gas attacks," The Third finally spoke. This was his condition for listening. Without such sincerity from Amegakure, there would be no discussion at all.
"Don't worry, what I'm releasing now is just a mild paralyzing poison gas. It's harmless enough. Your ninja won't die immediately." Hanzo said.
No one believed him for a second. Even with the word "mild," "poison gas" could never be called "harmless." Clearly, his words were not meant to soothe Konoha, but rather to coerce the Hokage.
Yet, as the Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi could not afford to disregard the lives of Konoha's ninja.
At that moment, the Third Hokage and Danzo Shimura pretended to take Hanzo's words seriously, though they strained to suppress glances toward the upper side where the enemy stood.
And while they spoke with Hanzo, a figure burst forth from within Katsuyu's body, appearing at the position the enemy least expected.
A wildfire fierce enough to scorch the wasteland crept upward unseen—a harbinger of change.
<><><><><><><><>
Thank you for reading! Your support will keep me updating!
~ Every 50 Powerstones = **4 Bonus Chapters** this weekend!
<><><><><><><><>
~ 100+ Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon!
~ More *Free* Chapters and Books Available on Patreon!
patreon.com/Tansnovel
<><><><><><><><>